Basta Trattoria Closing, Thanks You for a Wonderful 25 Years

News today that Basta Trattoria on NW 21st in Portland is closing at the end of the year. Basta is one of those restaurants that have flown under the radar of the Portland food scene, but still has enough loyal customers to keep it going. When I first visited Portland back in 1994, it was one of the restaurants I frequented.

The location has several advantages, such as a nice patio and one of the few places with off-street parking in Northwest PDX.

Though I have to admit, I haven’t been there in years, I am sorry to see it close. You have until the end of the year to stop by.

Here’s the note from owner Marco Frattaroli.

Today, I let my staff know that Basta will be closing at the end of the year. This was a very hard decision, probably one of the most difficult in my experience. I feel Basta has run its course, and now it is time to exit gracefully.

I would like to thank my patrons, with whom I have grown older and hopefully wiser and especially my staff who made it all possible. A presto, Marco

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3 comments:

They will be missed: I enjoyed a thoroughly fantastic Tiramisu they used to make that had enough brandy to blow your hair back. In later decades they wimped it out, but the quality of the pasta entrees never waned.

Feels like Portland is losing it’s original charm bit by bit. With so many restaurants coming and going we are all a little guilty of forgetting about the ‘old guard’. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to say goodbye and let staff go this time of the year (or ever for that matter).

I’ve been thinking about this recently as I went back to Park Kitchen the other day for the first time in years. Food was still great, but it wasn’t very busy. Also, I had a great meal at Basta just a couple months ago. I’m not one of those Chicken Little types who thinks the world is ending every time an old favorite restaurant closes. Sure, I [will/still] miss Basta, Tabla, VQ, Riffle, Sel Gris, Fin, Fife, Roux, Cafe des Amis, Zefiro, etc. But would I trade Atuala, St. Jack, Kachka, Aviary, Clyde Common, Xico, Departure, Imperial, Le Pigeon, Pok Pok, etc. to have those back? Well, if you let me pick and chose I might swap a few, but overall, I think the restaurant scene here is as strong as it’s ever been. Typing out some of those old names made me a bit sad, but some of those new ones are among the best restaurants EVER in this town.